DESERTNET – Monitoring and actions to combat desertification in the European Mediterranean region

Objectives:

Planning and carrying out a platform for a common service center in the European and national policy implementation framework to combat desertification – as provided in the UNCCD – and natural resources sustainable management (specially soil and water).

Sectorial Topic (Note):

Sustainable land use management, including water, soil and vegetation in affected areas

The project is linked with the previous «Trans-national research on environmental multipurposes laboratoires», financed by Interreg IIC-MED-OCC. Both projects aim to study, monitor and provide sustainable management in prone to desertification areas, in the Mediterranean region. DesertNet is integrated and is a thematic area of MEDINET research.

Means of Implementation:

Amount of financing 1.978.990,00 euro.
The individuation of the current state of scientific knowledge on the causes and the effects of the desertification processes in the European Mediterranean and on the measures for its reduction and the comparison of the methodologies and the procedures used for the realization of the national programs to fight desertification;
The creation of a network of subjects and institutions, in connection with the local, national and international similar initiatives for the exchange, the division, the dissemination of knowledge and the results of the project and the involving of the populations ; a pilot participatory action has been implemented in Sicily (Italy), through the European Awareness Scenario Workshop methodology, including local socio-economic analysis;
The creation of a system of thematic pilot actions, in the areas affected by desertification, to study in depth and to face on the field methodologies and techniques of prevention, sustainable management and monitoring;
The definition of indicators and common models to monitor the desertification at the various scales and the development of an applicative checking of a whole of homogeneous indicators in a limited number of areas – pilot actions.

Target year:

2004

Target Area/Place:

Italy, Spain, Tunisia

Expected Outcome(S):

Creation of a platform for a common service and for development, exchange and study actions.
Pilot actions in partner regions.
Exchange actions with North African Countries.
Rationalisation of information and technical and scientific experiences obtained in desertification prone areas selected in Regional and National Programmes.
Carrying out of a homogeneous system for the data and information exchange and for desertification monitoring.

Relevance to the Plan of Implementation of WSSD:

According to the plan of implementation, the project aims to strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification to address causes of desertification and land degradation in order to maintain and restore land, and to address poverty resulting from land degradation (§ 41). In particular providing affordable local access to information to improve monitoring and early warning related to desertification and drought ( § 41, e).